There are numerous situations and processes in which liquids accumulate or become contaminated with sediments of various types. Examples of various contaminated liquids are discussed at length in allowed copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 240,418, filed Mar. 4, 1981, which discloses an apparatus and method for cleaning such liquids. The system of the Ser. No. 240,418 application includes a plurality of hydrocyclone runs wherein suspended particles of successively smaller size are removed in each run. The solids are collected from each hydrocyclone run in separate waste collection receptacles for further processing or disposal.
The system of the Ser. No. 240,418 application is very effective and is a substantial advance in the art. However, that system is not without drawbacks. The primary shortcoming of the prior system is in the separate and remote locations of the hydrocylone banks, which causes the system to be bulky and somewhat complex. Also, the separate hydrocyclone banks dump into separate waste receptacles, which increases the bulk and cumbersomeness of the system. A further shortcoming of the prior system is inherent in the nature of all separators that include hydrocyclones. In order for a hydrocyclone to work properly, there must be substantially no gas entrained in the liquid. The presence of entrained gas causes the liquid to become somewhat compressible, which diminishes the efficiency of the hydrocyclone. In the prior system, no means or removing gas from the liquid was provided.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system for separating solids from fluids that overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a multistage hydrocyclone separator system that is arranged to discharge removed solids into a common receptacle.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hydrocyclone separator system that removes entrained gases from the liquid prior to an entry into the hydrocyclone devices.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a separating system that is self-contained and self-powered.